The incident took place in Vallabh-Vidyanagar town onTuesday night, following which 56 people residing near theelectric crematorium were arrested, Deputy Superintendent ofPolice B D Jadeja said.
"Nearly 100 locals residing near the crematorium inHariom Nagar area surrounded a Khambhat civic team thatreached there on Tuesday night with the body of a person whodied of coronavirus at a hospital in Karamsad," he said.
They asked the civic personnel to take the bodysomewhere else, claiming its cremation will spread coronavirusin the area, Jadeja said.
Before police reached the spot, the mob, armed withsticks and stones, allegedly attacked the driver of theambulance in which the body was kept. The locals also brokewindow panes of a car belonging to the Khambhat municipality,police sub-inspector T R Gadhvi said.
"Though officials tried to convince the locals thatthey were following all the safety protocols and guidelinesfor coronavirus, the mob did not listen. When the policereached the spot, they also hurled stones the securitypersonnel," he said.
"A head constable and a Home Guard received headinjuries," Gadhvi said, adding the police lobbed a teargasshell and baton-charged the mob to disperse them followingwhich the situation was later brought under control.
The ambulance driver also sustained injuries in theattack, Jadeja said.
Fifty six people from the area were arrested andbooked on charges of rioting, assault, criminal conspiracy,attempt to murder and under provisions of the DisasterManagement Act, Gadhvi said.
The civic team later performed last rites of COVID-19victim at the crematorium, he added. COR PJT PDGK GK